The original intent of God’s mandate to Moses was not to establish a religion but a nation of people who would love, serve, and honor God—a “royal priesthood [and] a holy nation” (see 1 Pet. 2:9).
Christians have misunderstood Him as the founder of a religion and have transformed His teachings and His methods into customs and His activities into rituals. Many even have reduced His message to nothing more than an escapist plan for getting to heaven and His promises as a mere fire insurance policy for escaping the pains of a tormenting hell.
And yet a simple study and review of His message and priority reveals that Jesus had only one message, one mandate, and one mission—the return of the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.
In this book you will learn what a kingdom is, what it consists of, how it functions, and all the components that make a kingdom unique. You will also discover the difference between a kingdom and a religion, and how it compares with all other forms of government. You will be instructed in principles of Kingdom concepts, how they relate to your daily life and how you can appropriate Kingdom citizenship here and now. This book will help you appreciate that you cannot appropriate what you don’t understand nor experience what you postpone. This is your practical guide to understanding the most important message mankind has ever received; a message the whole world desperately needs to hear. This book will equip you not only to receive that message but also to share it effectively with others.
Chapter 1:
The Priority of the Kingdom
The greatest secret to living effectively on earth is understanding the principle and power of priorities. Life on earth holds no greater challenge than the complicating daily demand of choosing among competing alternatives for our limited time
The greatest mistake in life is to be busy but not effective. Life’s greatest failure is to be successful in the wrong assignment. Success in life is measured by the effective use of one’s time. Failure to establish correct priority causes you to waste your two most important commodities: your time and your energy.
Jesus states God’s number-one priority: Seek first His Kingdom. This is the most important statement made by the Lord Jesus, and it establishes what should be the first priority in our lives. Jesus identifies the Kingdom as being more important than food, water, clothing, shelter, and every other basic human need. According to His assessment, then, what should be mankind’s priority and primary preoccupation in life? The Kingdom of God. God’s number one priority for mankind is that we discover, understand, and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It is this priority that motivated me to write this book. The priority of all human beings is concealed in the words, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything you need for life will be added to you.”
It is no coincidence that I am meditating on the verse Mat 6;33 and Luke 12:29-32
“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax,
not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving.
People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things,
but you know both God and how he works.
Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.
Re-imagine what is Kingdom reality?
Renaissance of His creation that showcases once again His splendor and his Glory
Restoration of relationship with self, others and God
Revival of souls, body and mind to Christ
Recall what is His initiative
PTR
Kingdom artist
QSS revival
QT Ecclesia
QT Kaki
You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends!
The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
KINGDOM
In this book, we will use the following working definition: A kingdom is… The governing influence of a king over his territory, impacting it with his personal will, purpose, and intent, producing a culture, values, morals, and lifestyle that reflect the king’s desires and nature for his citizens.
Righteousness
Righteousness describes the maintenance of the rightly aligned relationship with a governing authority so as to qualify for the right to receive governmental privileges.
“ All things added unto you.” This promise includes all your physical needs, all your social needs, all your emotional needs, all your psychological needs, all your financial needs, and all your security needs, as well as your need for self significance and a sense of self-worth and purpose.
Kingdom refers to the governing influence of Heaven on earth and righteousness refers to right alignment and positioning with that government authority. Our highest priorities and greatest desires should be to enter the Kingdom of God and thirst for a right relationship with God’s heavenly government.
According to Jesus, the most important priority and preoccupation of all mankind should be the seeking and studying of the heavenly Kingdom government and administration of the Creator God and His purposed plan and program to impact earth. But in a practical sense, how does one go about seeking this Kingdom? How does one explore the concept, nature, function, program, components, principles, and power of the Kingdom? Answering these questions is the purpose and intent of this book. To accomplish this purpose we must:
Understand kingdom concept.
Understand kingdom philosophy.
Understand kingdom government.
Understand kingdom law.
Understand kingdom culture.
Understand kingdom society.
Understand kingdom economy.
Understand kingdom citizenship.
Understand kingdom provision.
Understand kingdom worship.
Understand kingdom protocol.
Understand kingdom representation.
The secret to a full and fulfilled life is discovery, understanding, and application of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Religion postpones the Kingdom to a future experience. But you must remember that you cannot appropriate what you postpone. God’s desire for you is that you enter the Kingdom life now and experience, explore, apply, practice, and enjoy living with the benefits, promises, and privileges of Heaven on earth. Let the adventure begin....
His desire, then, was to establish on earth a colony of Heaven.
Chapter 4:
Jesus’ message of the Kingdom was foreshadowed in the Old Testament centuries before He was born in Bethlehem. Here are two examples. The first one indicates God’s motivation for delivering the slave clans of Israel from Egyptian oppression: “Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites (Exodus 19:5-6). In the second example, we see the Old Testament Messianic promise declared by the prophet Isaiah, strongly indicating the governmental aspects of the Kingdom mandate:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
And He will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Jesus’ message was clearly kingdom focused and not religiously motivated:
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17).
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people (Matthew 4:23).
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:3-4).
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9b-10).
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness (Matthew 9:35).
As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 10:7).
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you (Matthew 12:28).
He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them” (Matthew 13:11).
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart (Matthew 13:19a).
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field” (Matthew 13:24).
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field” (Matthew 13:31).
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough” (Matthew 13:33).
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field (Matthew 13:44).
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it (Matthew 13:45-46).
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish (Matthew 13:47).
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19).
I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom (Matthew 16:28).
And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).
Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants (Matthew 18:23).
For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard (Matthew 20:1).
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you” (Matthew 21:31b).
The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come (Matthew 22:2-3).
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to (Matthew 23:13).
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).
Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God (Luke 8:1).
And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick (Luke 9:2). Then He took them with Him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing (Luke 9:10b-11).
I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God (Luke 9:27).
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).
And I confer on you a kingdom, just as My Father conferred one on Me (Luke 22:29).
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36).
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me” (John 18:37).
THE KING IS CENTRAL TO HIS KINGDOM
1. A king is never voted into power.
His power is inherent from birth. Democratic leaders are elected to power; totalitarian dictators seize power; but a king is born into power.
2. A king is king by birthright.
His kingship is not conferred by men. Elected leaders rule by the will of the people. Dictators rule through fear, repression, and coercion. A king rules because he is born to it. Jesus Christ was born a King. We do not make Him King; all we can do is acknowledge that He is King.
3. A king cannot be voted out of power.
Because the kingdom is his by birth, a king rules for life. A president is voted out of office or departs due to term limits. A dictator may be brought down by a coup d’etat or popular uprising. Kingship, however, is a lifelong office. A human king may be dethroned by force or revolution, but he can never be voted out. The King of Heaven reigns by sovereign right of creation. He will never be voted out of power. Nor will He ever be dethroned. Lucifer tried and failed. Human empires have tried and failed and then fallen themselves, as is the destiny of all regimes that challenge His sovereignty. He was King before this world began, and He will still be King after it has passed away. In fact, Scripture makes this bold declaration: The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 11:15b). No act either of man on earth or of the spiritual powers of darkness will ever remove the King of Heaven from His throne.
4. A king’s authority is absolute.
That is why he is not a president or a prime minister. Presidents must consult Congress, and prime ministers, Parliament. If the prime minister of the Bahamas makes a decision, the senate can discuss it, the parliament may attack it, the media may mutilate it, and he may change his mind. Dictators, on the other hand, while perhaps exercising absolute power (for a time), possess no legitimate authority. This is why they must use force and repression to stay in power. But when a king speaks, he speaks with absolute authority— authority that is inherent to his kingship.
5. A king’s word is law.
Because a king’s authority is absolute, his word is law. No one can countermand his orders, negate his pronouncements, set aside his decrees, or amend his statutes. David, an Israelite king who loved the King of Heaven with all his heart, had this to say about his King’s law: The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous….By them is Your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
(Psalm 19:7- 9,11).
The King’s word is law. Great reward follows obedience. Disobedience brings severe penalties.
6. A king personally owns everything in his domain.
Presidents and other elected leaders do not own their countries; they are citizens like everyone else. Dictators often act as though they own everything, but whatever they possess they acquire by fraud, theft, and corruption. A king, on the other hand, personally owns everything in his domain. In fact, a kingdom is the only form of government where the ruler owns everything and everyone. In the words of King David, once again: The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1). The King of Heaven Himself declares: Every animal of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). A king owns the people, the animals, the plants, the land, and the air around the land. He owns the value under the earth—the gold, the silver, the platinum, the diamonds, etc. He owns the soil and the seeds in the soil. A king owns everything in his territory. That is why he is called a lord. Lord means owner. We’ll discuss more on this concept in the next chapter.
7. A king’s decree is unchanging.
In a democratic system, laws can be amended, revised, or revoked. Dictators change and even reverse their own decrees whenever it suits them. They renege on their word all the time. But a king’s word is law. Once a king issues a decree, it cannot be changed. Daniel, a faithful, God-fearing Jew in e exile, was a high official in the court of Darius, a Medo-Persian king. When Daniel’s enemies plotted to destroy him, they persuaded Darius to issue a decree that for 30 days no prayers or petitions were to be raised to any god or anyone else except to the king himself. Violators would be thrown into a den of lions. This decree was a “law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked” (Dan. 6:8b NASB). Catching Daniel in the act of praying to God in violation of the king’s decree (as they knew they would), Daniel’s enemies took him to the king. Darius was trapped. Even he could not revoke his own decree! The king spent a tormented, sleepless night while his trusted servant Daniel cooled his heels in the lion’s den. The Lord delivered Daniel safely, and his enemies ended up with the lions instead. The point here is that a king’s decree, once issued, cannot be undone. The decrees of the King of Heaven are just as permanent: The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Jesus the King said: Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).
8. A king chooses who will be a citizen.
In a democracy, the citizens choose their leader while a totalitarian system treats its “citizens” as little more than tools of the state. A kingdom operates in the opposite manner—the king chooses the citizens. Because his authority is absolute, he determines the standards of citizenship in his kingdom. The people do not vote for the king, but in essence, he votes for them. Jesus demonstrated this kingly prerogative as well when He said to His closest followers: You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. This is My command: Love each another. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you (John 15:16-19). Jesus chose them out of citizenship in the world and made them citizens of His Kingdom with full benefits of citizenship. They no longer belonged to the kingdom of the world. Now, like Jesus, their Kingdom was from another place. Jesus does the same thing today for everyone who believes Him—everyone who accepts His message of the Kingdom.
9. A king embodies the government of his kingdom.
This means that wherever a king is, his entire government is present. Whenever a king speaks, his whole government is speaking. Whenever a king moves, the government moves with him because he embodies the government; the king is the government. When President Bush travels abroad, the authority of the United States government travels with him because he represents the government and the people. The government itself, however, does not travel with him. It remains in place and functioning in Washington. The government of a king, on the other hand, is wherever the king is. A king and his government are inseparable. This is how we can know that the Kingdom of Heaven is on earth; the Kingdom is here because the King is here. Jesus said: …if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:19-20). and: …All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20). The Kingdom of Heaven is here because the King of heaven is here in the hearts and lives of His citizens who populate His colony here.
10. A king’s presence is the presence of his authority.
When a king shows up, his full authority is present. His authority does not reside in a place or in a document; it resides in him personally. This is why citizens of God’s Kingdom colony on earth can act with kingly authority. Because the King is present, His authority is present also. It was this present authority that Jesus had in mind when He said: I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18). and: I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it (John 14:13-14). Kingdom citizens may always exercise kingly authority because the King is always present with them.
11. A king’s wealth is measured by his property.
The larger and richer in resources a kingdom is, the wealthier the king, because the king owns everything in his kingdom. Dictators become wealthy by stealing from the people. Democratically elected leaders may or may not be personally wealthy, but they definitely do not own their country. This is one of the major distinctions between a king and other government leaders. Kings own everything in their domain by right of birth and kingship. As a matter of fact, property is so tied up with a king’s identity that without it a king is not a king. We will discuss this more thoroughly in Chapter Six. Why is wealth so important in a kingdom? So the king can take care of his citizens. A righteous and benevolent king does not amass wealth for himself but for the welfare of his citizens. This is why it is only in a kingdom where we truly find commonwealth; that is, the wealth is common to all the people. No kingdom is greater or richer than the Kingdom of Heaven because it encompasses all that exists. And no king is wealthier than the King of Heaven because He owns everything everywhere in both the natural and supernatural realms. Consequently, no citizens of any government are more prosperous or have greater welfare than do citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven because all the infinite wealth of that Kingdom is their common wealth.
12. A king’s prosperity is measured by the status of his citizens.
If the citizens are poor, the king is seen as a poor king. If the citizens are prosperous, however, the king is seen as a wealthy king. Wealthy citizens make a king proud. That is why it is important for a king to make sure his people prosper. Jesus never preached prosperity. Why not? Because prosperity is a matter of Kingdom business. Anyone who becomes a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven automatically prospers because the King of heaven is a wealthy King—the wealthiest of all. And He is also a righteous and benevolent King who is committed to the fullest and greatest welfare of His people.
13. A king’s name is the essence of his authority.
A king can delegate authority to anyone he pleases to act in his name or on his behalf. This is often done by issuing a “king’s letter,” a royal edict signed by the king and bearing his official seal that authorizes the bearer to act on his authority. Anyone to whom the king’s letter is presented must treat the bearer as if he were the king himself. Nehemiah, another exiled Jew who was a contemporary of Daniel, was cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes. Hearing that Jerusalem had been destroyed, Nehemiah longed to go there and rebuild the city. When the king learned of Nehemiah’s desire, he granted him permission to go. He also issued letters instructing the keeper of the king’s forest to give Nehemiah all the material he required and for the governors of the various provinces to grant him safe passage. Nehemiah carried the king’s name and, therefore, his authority (see Neh. chapters 1–2). Citizens of the kingdom of Heaven have the same privilege. Jesus the King has issued king’s letters to all His people, delegating His authority to them. That is why the New Testament says that Kingdom citizens are to pray in the name of Jesus. It is why He promised to do anything that they asked in His name. There is nothing religious or mysterious about this. It is simply a kingdom principle at work. The King’s name carries the same authority as the King Himself, and all who carry His name can operate in His authority.
14. A king’s citizenry represents his glory.
Any conscientious king wants his citizens to be happy, prosperous, and content because their status and quality of life reflect on him. The greater their prosperity and well-being, the greater the glory and honor that rest on the king who provides for them so well. Citizens of God’s Kingdom are supposed to show what their King is like by the way they live, act, dress, walk, and talk. Kingdom citizens are to reflect the nature and character of their King, who is righteous, just, benevolent, compassionate, and full of glory. This is why there is no poverty in the Kingdom of Heaven, no economic crisis, and no shortages. As King David observed: The Lord upholds the righteous…I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread (Psalm 37:17b, 25). The King of Heaven takes care of His citizens. Appropriating the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven means first of all understanding that the King owns everything and we own nothing; and second, that He can give whatever He wants to anyone He wants whenever He wants. This is the kingdom concept of lordship and is the subject of the next chapter.
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